Dormice get health checks ahead of their release to the wild

Ten tiny rare hazel dormice have been given the all-clear by wildlife vets at conservation charity ZSL, ahead of their release into the wild next month.

Each 20-gram dormouse had a 10-minute appointment with wildlife vets from ZSL’s Institute of Zoology during which their heart and lungs were checked with a stethoscope, and their eyes, ears, nose, teeth and fur examined.

Hazel dormice populations have decreased by a staggering 70% nationally since 2000, but ongoing efforts to restore their populations have seen more than 1,000 dormice reintroduced into 25 woodland habitats in 13 English counties since 1993.

Video: ZSL/Supplied